By Ahmad Umar.
Nasarawa Patriotic Platform (NPP), a pressure group in Nasarawa state, North-central of Nigeria, says it has finalised arrangements to drag outgoing Governor Tanko Al-Makura before the anti-graft agencies for allegedly amassing property while still in office.
Leader of the group, Jibrin Dauda Musha, in a chat with journalists in Abuja on Saturday, said the group was disturbed over alleged mismanagement of the resources of the state, even as the governor could not pay civil servants 15 months salaries despite delivering their work.
Musha explained that the group is even more disturbed by the brazen acquisition of landed property by him and members of his immediate family, where Mr. Al-Makura was said to have purchased a hotel worth over N2bn from a former governor of the state.
“We want both the EFCC and ICPC to wade into the matter and to find out if it’s allowed by law for a sitting governor to embark on a shopping spree while still in office,” Musha said.
He added that though the details of the petition will not be fully disclosed now, the group said Al-Makura must be investigated for acquiring several portions of choice land and property across Lafia, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.
“He owns close to one thousand hectares on the Lafia-Kwandere road, he owns the former FCMB building, opposite the CID along Jos road as well as another 30 hectares of land which he turned into his senatorial campaign office, among otherr,” the group said.
The group further disclosed that it has in its possession documented evidence showing all the property Al-Makura bought while in office, as well as that of his close relations, stressing that if at all the much taunted anti-corruption fight by President Muhammadu Buhari is anything to go by, then Al-Makura must be made to account for his deeds.
“Even the much-celebrated road construction in Lafia, the state capital, were executed merely to service his personal interest, his wives or associates,” the group added.